Fish Ladder--Right Into Our Mouths! [RC Fishing Event]

[kittycatburmise]

Irisfrost

Irisfrost's head turned towards Breezepaw as he bounded over to her, with that kit-like energy and enthusiasm she hoped never faded. "Hello," she said, a small smile tugging at her face. "Ready for some fishing?"

As Eaglewing called for the group to go, Irisfrost padded after her. Soon they were at the river. "Make sure not to fall in this time," she said to Breezepaw as she made her way towards the bank, recalling the time when he had fallen in the water. She wasn't as worried about what would happen to him if he did this time; it was warm enough that he wouldn't suffer lingering effects from the cold unless he was in it for a long time. He still didn't know how to swim, but he had shown he could make a good effort at it, and she would pull him out immediately regardless. Besides, she doubted he would make the same mistake again.

"You haven't learnt how to fish in the water yet, have you?" Irisfrost mused. When she taught Breezepaw fishing she hadn't wanted to cover it because of the cold, but that wouldn't be an issue now. "Do you want to learn, or stick with doing it from the bank for now?"

@Songtail (I'm interpreting your post as that Breezepaw is going to the river and not to the lesson; please VM me if I'm wrong so I can change my post)

[Mica]

Eaglewing
RiverClan Warrior
she/her | 14 moons
[Ginger and white tabby with green eyes and a heavily scarred face]
Purrks: Dreamwalker, Herbal Knowledge T2
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Star ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
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[Breezepaw - @Songtail ] [Asterpaw - Burning'Flame ] [Spiderpaw - @namen_roodles ]

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Eaglewing felt a little discouraged as fewer apprentices came to her than before they left, but she shook it away, instead looking to Breezepaw, Asterpaw, and Spiderpaw. Irisfrost bounded up to Breezepaw, offering to teach him, and a ways away Dizzybug also offered training. Eaglewing scowled--this was supposed to be her event, her training! But, fine. Even if only one cat took interest, she would conduct the damn lesson.

"Alright let's begin, yeah?" Eaglewing padded up to the edge of the bank, indicating for the apprentices to settle alongside her. "Fishing is pretty different from land hunting. First off, no scents. So, what do we use instead?" Her leafy gaze flickered with the reflection of the river. "Shadows. Best way to fish, as I've learned, is to find a nice shady spot, just like this, and crouch over the edge of the water. Don't want too much sun, otherwise your shadow will scare away the fish, and the sky will reflect too much for you to see below." Eaglewing focused her watchful eyes on the water, waiting until a dark shape shot by before chirping. "See? See it? Look, there's another one." Another sleek shape flitting downstream towards the others. "Fast, huh?" She looked up at the apprentices, a grin on her torn face. "You gotta be faster."

Eaglewing focused on the water, raising a paw up in anticipation. She waited, perfectly still, for several long moments. Just as it got to the point of concern, another fish darted under her outstretched paw and it shot into the water with a splash. She heaved, bringing a great big silvery thing out of the water.

Eaglewing reared up, the fish flapping wildly in her paws, spraying everyone with water. The warrior slammed down on the fish, claws digging into its scales, and killed it with a bite above its bulging eyes. "Whew!" Eaglewing sighed, pulling the fish back to the group. "That was a wild one! But tell me, what did you notice when I went for the fish?" The titter in her voice belayed how eager she was to answer questions and engage with the lesson. Nerd.

[namen_roodles]

SPIDERPAW
Riverclan Apprentice | 6 moons | Lanky, amber eyed, blue-grey tabby she-cat with white paws, chin, and tail tip.
Heightened perception: Smell
~~~

Okay, so it wasn't as many cats as she had been worried about, before. It seemed that quite a few others, including several apprentices, broke away from the event. Less cats to see her mess up while hunting meant she might be able to relax... if only a fraction.

Ah, Spiderpaw hadn't really thought about how there was no smelling through the water. In fact, if she remembered correctly, water could mask your scent. Of course, her well tuned nose would be useless. That twisting in her belly was starting again, making her slightly nauseous as her heart raced. Pay attention... Pay attention... Pay attention!

Shadows scared fish. The little tabby looked into the water. If shadows scared fish, then why would they hunt in the shade? Oh, no. She must have missed an important bit of information. Think... Shadow scares away fish, but sun reflects light in her eyes and makes it harder to see the fish...

Spiderpaw carefully approached as Eaglewing pointed out the fish. For a moment, she couldn't see anything. In fact, as the warrior crouched and stayed still, painfully patient, she still wasn't sure that there were any fish at all. Then, a blur of motion appeared in the water, hardly recognizable as a fish in the shaded stream. As the young apprentice watched, she suddenly realized what Eaglewing must have said earlier. The shade of the tree hid her shadow from the fish so that it wouldn't be scared away.

The blue tabby flinched as she was splashed by the shaking fish, shaking out her own pelt reactively. The cool water snapped her out of her racing thoughts, if only for just a moment. Huh, she had no idea that water could do that...

Eaglewing raised her head and posed a question to Spiderpaw and the other two apprentices. She thought for a moment. What had she noticed? There was only one thing that really stood out to the blue tabby. "You were still as stone..." She replied quietly. "And eventually the fish came to you... does that mean fish can't see us as well as we can see them?" Oh, no. The question had slipped out before she had even thought it through. Was that a dumb question? Suddenly, it was like that splash of water had never snapped her out of anything.

 

@Mica - Eaglewing
@Burning'Flame - Asterpaw
@Songtail - Breezepaw